The New Rules of Lean Eating
If getting lean were easy, America would have a fitter nation rather than, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,stats that say more than one-third of adults in the nation are obese. The harsh reality is that leaning down demands dedication to both exercise and diet. When it comes to the later, you've probably heard it before, take in more lean protein, focus on slow-burning carbs and eat every two or three hours to keep your metabolism humming along. These are some of the most commonly preached pillars of lean eating. Yet science shows that there are several other surefire diet rules that must not be taken lightly if you want to lose fat. So, if your goal is to ditch those extra pounds of stubborn pudge, follow these eight simple rules.
Rule No. 1
In the course of a week, aim to prepare at least 90 percent of the meals and snacks you consume. This way, you have ultimate control over the ingredients you put into your body and are better able to eat clean. Make eating out where you will consume higher calories a luxury you sometimes indulge in rather than the norm.
Rule No. 2
The key to controlling hunger while also keeping calorie intake in check is to make sure the volume of food on your plate remains substantial. A common complaint among dieters is that they feel deprived when staring down at a plate or bowl that is half empty. You can eat more for less by gravitating toward meals and snacks that provide plenty of volume but have a low energy density. Whole grains, legumes, lean meats and unsweetened low-fat dairy are other items considered to be less calorie dense and should anchor your get-lean diet. When preparing items like salads, pasta, soups, chili, oatmeal and stir-frys, look for ways to incorporate plenty of low-energy density foods to boost volume. For example, try replacing some of the pasta on your plate with generous amounts of vegetables, adorn oatmeal and yogurt with a pile of low-calorie berries. Strive to eat three balanced meals and two healthy snacks daily.
Rule No. 3
Rise and dine; never skip breakfast. Studies suggest that those who take breakfast lightly are more likely to overeat later on. Case in point: a study presented at the Neuroscience 2012 conference compared MRI brain scans of subjects after eating breakfast and after skipping it. When breakfast was not consumed, the volunteers were more attracted to images of high-calorie food and consume 20 percent more calories, on average, at lunch than those who ate in the morning. Your a.m. meal should pack in about the same number of calories as lunch and dinner and should have a carb-to-protein ratio no greater that 2-to 1. Studies at the University of Missouri have found that eating a protein-rich breakfast increases satiety and reduces hunger pangs throughout the day. Bolster breakfast protein with eggs, whey protein, low fat greek yogurt or cottage cheese, smoked salmon, canadian bacon and nut butters.
Rule No. 4
I know you expected it, so here it is; ditch added sugars. The average American is now pounding 19 teaspoons of added sweeteners daily, which contributes about 300 empty calories to the diet. Beyond the obvious soda pops and Twinkies, the added sweet stuff lurks in a dizzying array of supermarket foods from salad dressings to pasta sauces to cottage cheese to cold cuts. It's vital to read ingredient lists when grocery shopping. Look out for the many euphemisms for sugar, including high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin and evaporated cane juice.
Rule No. 5
Start roughing it. Science shows that if you want to whittle your waistline, there is no better place to start than by loading up on dietary fiber. Spiking your meals and snacks with fiber will temper blood sugar fluctuations, which discourages fat storage. Fiber-packed foods also happen to be among the most nutrient dense. But despite fiber's role in fighting fat and various diseases, dietary surveys show that most Americans only consume about half their daily fiber recommendation-38 grams for men and 25 grams for women.
Rule No. 6
Eat fat. It may seem paradoxical to recommend eating fat when your goal is to shed it from your midriff, but without enough in the diet, your fat-loss efforts will suffer. Consuming fat can help curb cravings and overeating by slowing down digestion and making food more palate pleasing. Science also shows that some dietary fat is needed to stoke fat-burning metabolism, perhaps by favorably altering hormones. When your goal is to lean down, aim to make 20 to 25 percent of your calories come from fat. Focus on reasonable serving sizes of quality fat sources like nuts, seeds, avocado and extra-virgin olive.
Rule No. 7
Go raw. A watershed study by Harvard scientists in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that cooking actually increases the amount of calories your body absorbs from food. The authors of the study believe our bodies don't expend as much energy with the digestive process when food is cooked, allowing more calories from the food to be absorbed. Try to find ways to work more uncooked items into your meals and snacks. Try tossing a handful of raw sunflower seeds into your breakfast oatmeal. Serve a multicolored raw salad at every dinner meal.
Rule No. 8
Drink up. It's true that guzzling back water can help in the battle of the bulge. A report in the journal Obesity credited 5 pounds of fat loss in subjects to the simple act of increasing their water consumption to 1 liter a day for a year. The scientists surmise that well-hydrated cells may rev up metabolism. Dehydration is also thought to increase hunger, which could lead to poor food choices. Being adequately dehydrated is also necessary for optimal exercise performance, allowing you to work harder and burn more calories. Green tea is another excellent calorie free way to keep hydrated because potent antioxidants in the ancient beverage may ramp up fat burning. Each day aim to drink about half your body weight in ounces; in other words, if you weigh 170 pounds, drink at least 85 ounces of water and tea daily. Other than protein shakes or low-fat milk, you'll be much better served by eating, not drinking, your calories because studies suggest that the human body does not properly register liquid calories, causing them to do little to satiate hunger. So, in other words steer clear of sugary drinks like sodas, iced tea, sweetened coffees and even fruit juices.
Remember you can take our Green Coffee Bean Complex, a proven method of weight reduction when taken as suggested. Find it by placing your cursor on "Special Formulas" and click on Green Coffee Bean Complex.
To your good health and better living,
Clem
If getting lean were easy, America would have a fitter nation rather than, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,stats that say more than one-third of adults in the nation are obese. The harsh reality is that leaning down demands dedication to both exercise and diet. When it comes to the later, you've probably heard it before, take in more lean protein, focus on slow-burning carbs and eat every two or three hours to keep your metabolism humming along. These are some of the most commonly preached pillars of lean eating. Yet science shows that there are several other surefire diet rules that must not be taken lightly if you want to lose fat. So, if your goal is to ditch those extra pounds of stubborn pudge, follow these eight simple rules.
Rule No. 1
In the course of a week, aim to prepare at least 90 percent of the meals and snacks you consume. This way, you have ultimate control over the ingredients you put into your body and are better able to eat clean. Make eating out where you will consume higher calories a luxury you sometimes indulge in rather than the norm.
Rule No. 2
The key to controlling hunger while also keeping calorie intake in check is to make sure the volume of food on your plate remains substantial. A common complaint among dieters is that they feel deprived when staring down at a plate or bowl that is half empty. You can eat more for less by gravitating toward meals and snacks that provide plenty of volume but have a low energy density. Whole grains, legumes, lean meats and unsweetened low-fat dairy are other items considered to be less calorie dense and should anchor your get-lean diet. When preparing items like salads, pasta, soups, chili, oatmeal and stir-frys, look for ways to incorporate plenty of low-energy density foods to boost volume. For example, try replacing some of the pasta on your plate with generous amounts of vegetables, adorn oatmeal and yogurt with a pile of low-calorie berries. Strive to eat three balanced meals and two healthy snacks daily.
Rule No. 3
Rise and dine; never skip breakfast. Studies suggest that those who take breakfast lightly are more likely to overeat later on. Case in point: a study presented at the Neuroscience 2012 conference compared MRI brain scans of subjects after eating breakfast and after skipping it. When breakfast was not consumed, the volunteers were more attracted to images of high-calorie food and consume 20 percent more calories, on average, at lunch than those who ate in the morning. Your a.m. meal should pack in about the same number of calories as lunch and dinner and should have a carb-to-protein ratio no greater that 2-to 1. Studies at the University of Missouri have found that eating a protein-rich breakfast increases satiety and reduces hunger pangs throughout the day. Bolster breakfast protein with eggs, whey protein, low fat greek yogurt or cottage cheese, smoked salmon, canadian bacon and nut butters.
Rule No. 4
I know you expected it, so here it is; ditch added sugars. The average American is now pounding 19 teaspoons of added sweeteners daily, which contributes about 300 empty calories to the diet. Beyond the obvious soda pops and Twinkies, the added sweet stuff lurks in a dizzying array of supermarket foods from salad dressings to pasta sauces to cottage cheese to cold cuts. It's vital to read ingredient lists when grocery shopping. Look out for the many euphemisms for sugar, including high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltodextrin and evaporated cane juice.
Rule No. 5
Start roughing it. Science shows that if you want to whittle your waistline, there is no better place to start than by loading up on dietary fiber. Spiking your meals and snacks with fiber will temper blood sugar fluctuations, which discourages fat storage. Fiber-packed foods also happen to be among the most nutrient dense. But despite fiber's role in fighting fat and various diseases, dietary surveys show that most Americans only consume about half their daily fiber recommendation-38 grams for men and 25 grams for women.
Rule No. 6
Eat fat. It may seem paradoxical to recommend eating fat when your goal is to shed it from your midriff, but without enough in the diet, your fat-loss efforts will suffer. Consuming fat can help curb cravings and overeating by slowing down digestion and making food more palate pleasing. Science also shows that some dietary fat is needed to stoke fat-burning metabolism, perhaps by favorably altering hormones. When your goal is to lean down, aim to make 20 to 25 percent of your calories come from fat. Focus on reasonable serving sizes of quality fat sources like nuts, seeds, avocado and extra-virgin olive.
Rule No. 7
Go raw. A watershed study by Harvard scientists in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that cooking actually increases the amount of calories your body absorbs from food. The authors of the study believe our bodies don't expend as much energy with the digestive process when food is cooked, allowing more calories from the food to be absorbed. Try to find ways to work more uncooked items into your meals and snacks. Try tossing a handful of raw sunflower seeds into your breakfast oatmeal. Serve a multicolored raw salad at every dinner meal.
Rule No. 8
Drink up. It's true that guzzling back water can help in the battle of the bulge. A report in the journal Obesity credited 5 pounds of fat loss in subjects to the simple act of increasing their water consumption to 1 liter a day for a year. The scientists surmise that well-hydrated cells may rev up metabolism. Dehydration is also thought to increase hunger, which could lead to poor food choices. Being adequately dehydrated is also necessary for optimal exercise performance, allowing you to work harder and burn more calories. Green tea is another excellent calorie free way to keep hydrated because potent antioxidants in the ancient beverage may ramp up fat burning. Each day aim to drink about half your body weight in ounces; in other words, if you weigh 170 pounds, drink at least 85 ounces of water and tea daily. Other than protein shakes or low-fat milk, you'll be much better served by eating, not drinking, your calories because studies suggest that the human body does not properly register liquid calories, causing them to do little to satiate hunger. So, in other words steer clear of sugary drinks like sodas, iced tea, sweetened coffees and even fruit juices.
Remember you can take our Green Coffee Bean Complex, a proven method of weight reduction when taken as suggested. Find it by placing your cursor on "Special Formulas" and click on Green Coffee Bean Complex.
To your good health and better living,
Clem